I. Field of Use
The present application relates to the field of home security. More specifically, the present application relates to automatically re-enabling monitoring of a security sensor that has been bypassed by a security system control device.
II. Description of the Related Art
Security systems for homes and offices have been around for many years. Often, these systems make use of barrier alarms, such as door and window sensors installed onto doors and windows, motion detectors, sound detectors, etc. Door and window sensors typically comprise two distinct parts: a magnet and a reed switch assembly. The reed switch assembly is typically installed onto a fixed part of a window or onto a door frame, while the magnet is mounted to a movable portion, such as the door or window. When the door or window is closed, the magnet and reed switch are in close proximity to one another, maintaining the reed switch in a first state indicative of a “no alarm” condition. If the door or window is opened, proximity is lost between the magnet and the reed switch, resulting in the reed switch changing state, e.g., from closed to open or from open to closed. The change of state is indicative of a local alarm condition, i.e., unauthorized entry, and a signal may be generated by circuitry located within the reed switch assembly and sent, via wires or over-the-air, to a security panel, gateway, or other local device (herein “security system control device”) in the home. Alternatively, or in addition, a loud audible alert may be generated, either by the security system control device via use of one or more sirens and/or directly by the circuitry within the reed switch assembly, indicating that a door or window has been opened without authorization.
One of the disadvantages of typical door and window alarm systems is that they do not allow occupants to easily open doors or windows without first turning off the alarm system. It is often inconvenient for the occupant to disarm the security system, as a keypad used to arm and disarm the security system may be located a great distance from the door or window to be opened.
Another disadvantage of prior art door/window security systems is that while the security system is disabled, intruders may enter the premises through the now un-monitored doors or windows without detection, as the entire security system may be disabled when it is desired to open a single door or window.
In order to address this shortcoming, prior art techniques have been developed to allow users to “bypass” a door or window sensor using either a keypad in communication with a security system control device or by pressing a button located directly on the door or window sensor. “Bypassing” a sensor means the security panel ignores alarm signals transmitted from bypassed sensors. The security panel reacts to alarm signals transmitted by non-bypassed sensors, as usual. This arrangement allows one to, for example, open a door or a window without having to disarm the entire security system.
However, one disadvantage of this bypass feature is that people tend to forget that they have bypassed a sensor and believe that their security system is fully-armed, i.e., that all sensors are operational and functioning normally, when the system is placed into an “armed-away” mode of operation, for example when they leave the house. This allows unauthorized entry through any entry barrier that is monitored by a bypassed sensor.
Thus, it would be desirable to provide a security system with a bypass feature that avoids the problem of people forgetting to re-enable monitoring of bypassed sensors.